You can purchase most ships from High Tech and Industrial systems with high population.
High Tech systems will always be the best place to get the top-end ships, with particular systems specialising in particular ship types. -David Braben
The Panther Clipper is coming. It is a big trading ship - a bit like the Lakon Type 9's big brother. -David Braben
Remove weapons / Shields from your ship if you intend only to trade as it requires long hyper space jumps and you'll save valuable cargo space by removing shields. Your ship can do longer hyperspace jumps with stripped down hull.
You sell your ship of 90% value. Equipment is sold for 100% value. So when you have a ship filled with class 5 rating A items, you can generally gain a few million by stripping it before buying a new ship.
You can try out different configurations for your ships in Elite Shipyard site.
Adder
Anaconda. Price 146.9 million cr. 228x cargo hold. ? weapon mounts.
Anacond max jump range is 39.35Ly unladen.
Price 6,661,153cr. Jump range 13.12Ly unladen, default. cargo 70t default, 160t pimped.
Asp class 5 rating E frame shift drive gives jump range of 25.8Ly unladen and 19Ly laden. With class 5 rating A FSD its 34.86Ly. As the name says Asp Explorer is the best exploration ship without a doubt.
ASP Scout
Cobra Mk III. Price 279,718cr. 36x cargo hold. ? weapons mounts. max speed ?, engine boost ?.
Diamondback Explorer
Diamondback Scout
Eagle. Price 44,800cr. 4x cargo hold. max speed 240, engine boost 330.
Federal Assault Ship
Federal Corvette. To purchase federal corvette you need rank of rear admiral.
Federal Dropship. 14,3 million.
Federal Gunship. 35,8 million.
Fer-de-Lance
Hauler. 52,720cr. 16x cargo hold. ? weapons mounts. max speed ?, engine boost ?, jump range 10.46Ly unladen, unarmed. 8.46Ly laden.
Hauler can be pimped to 35Ly jump capability.
Imperial Clipper
Imperial Courier
Imperial Cutter requires rank of Duke.
Imperial Eagle
Keelback
Orca is kind of like passanger ship, very cool and sleek looking white ship.
Python is general purpose ship, it can fight and trade.
Sidewinder. Price free ship on game start but normal cost 32,000cr. 4x cargo hold. ? weapons mounts. max speed ?, engine boost ?, jump range 8.26Ly fully fueled (no weapons).
Lakon Type-6. Price 1,045,945cr. 100x cargo hold. 2 x Class 2 weapon mounts, 3x utility mounts, 1 support mount. Max speed 220, engine boost 350.
type-6 max jump 26.5LY (my test 25.7LY) empty and 15.64LY full (about 75% fuel).
Lakon Type-7 price 17,4 million.
Lakon Type-9 Heavy. Price 76,5 million cr. 532x cargo hold. ? weapons mounts. max speed 130, engine boost 190.
jump range 7.?Ly unladen, default. Cargp 220t default. Lakon Type-9 FSD class 6, rating F: 1.8 million cr. class 6, rating E - 5.3 million. class 6, rating D - 16.1 million.
Purchase tips: 6.53Ly jump capability when stripped of weapons/shields/d-scanner Cargo racks 256 capacity 3.8 million. FSD class 6 rating A 16.1 million.
Price 142,931cr
Price 437,930 cr
Vulture
Cobra Mk IV is only available CMDR's who own both Elite v1.4.01 and v2.0 Horizons, ie both season 1 and 2.
For the purposes of testing the Eagle had no guns or modules fitted and was at 100% hull.
Credits before transaction = 122,681
Cobra Cost 111,766
Credits after transaction = 47,851
Minus the expected amount that would have remained (10,915)
That gives us our trade in value of 36,936
Eagle cost brand new = 41,040
So to work out the percentage 36,936 / 41,040 = 0.9 or 90%
Ship insurance: Rates of 5% to 10% are going around, so at a price of just over one million that would be 50,000 to 100,000 credits for insurance alone, that is without weapons, with weapons you'll have to add the same rates to the buying price of the weapon.
Purchase ships from these star systems and stations:
G 180-18 - Alexandria Gateway, Lakon Type-9
Styx - Chu Hub, ASP, Dropship
Asellus Primus - Beagle 2 Landing, Anaconda
Bolg - Moxon's Mojo, Lakon Type-9
Nang Ta-Khian - Hay Point, Dropship
Huokang - Solovyev, most ships; imperial clipper etc
BD+71 1033 - Fourneyron Port, Anaconda
Wakarendians - Cugnot Dock, dropship
Pachanu - Abakirov Hub, Anaconda
i Bootis - Chango Dock, Lakon Type-9
LHS 1663 - Alexander Park, Dropship, Lakon Type-9
LHS 2764a - Serre Port, almost all.
Purchase Equipment from these star systems and stations:
G 180-18 - Alexandria Gateway, advanced discovery scanner (industrial)
Asellus Primus - Beagle 2 Landing, FSD class 5 rating C (high tech)
BD+71 1033 - Fourneyron Port, FSD class 5 rating B (industrial)
Wakarendians - Cugnot Dock, FSD class 6 rating A, powerplant class 6 rating A (industrial)
Sofagre - Markov Park, FSD class 5 rating A (agriculture!?)
Styx - Chu Hub, advanced discovery scanner (industrial)
Demeter - Marusek Settlemen, advanced discovery scanner (industrial)
LP 102-320, Shephard Hub, advanced discovery scanner (industrial)
Alrai, shield generator class 5 rating A
Founders World has 10 percent discount for ships, but the system requires permit.
Yz Ceti,Clement Orbital; sidewinder, eagle, cobra, orca, asp, hauler, lakon type-9
Aiabiko, Heisheng Port; lakon type-6
Tan'Gunni, Low dock; Dropship (requires federal ensign rank) 37.8 million
Zarya Manas,Antonio De Andrade Hub; sidewinder, eagle, hauler, dropship, viper, asp
Brultamaci,Cox Dock; viper, hauler, eagle, sidewinder, lakon type-6, cobra
Giryampi,Cottenot Terminal; python, imperial clipper
Belalans,Boscovich Ring; lakon type-9
Lu Wang,Smith Hub; asp, dropship, orca
Heike,Brunel City; lakon type-9
Belarsuk,Kurtland Hub; asp, python, anaconda, lakon type-6, lakon type-9
Ruchbah,Griffiths Horizons; orca, anaconda, asp
Xihe,Zhen Dock; python, anaconda, asp, orca
Rusani,Fernandes Market; lakon type-6, lakon type-9
Toxandji,Tsunenaga Orbital; python, lakon type-6, lakon type-9, orca, dropship
Delta Phoenicis,Trading Post; lakon type-9
Eshu,Shajn Terminal; anaconda, lakon type-6
Njangari,Lee Hub; asp, lakon type-6, anaconda
Damna,Nemere Market; lakon type-9, asp, dropship
Ye'Kuana,Howard Station; lakon type-6, lakon type-9, python
Rapa Bao,Flagg Gateway; lakon type-9
Capo,Mccaffrey City; lakon type-6, anaconda, asp, dropship
Abi,Grechko Dock; python, lakon type-6, lakon type-9, adder, lakon type-7, asp, dropship
BD+29 2405,Benyovszky Station; lakon type-9, lakon type-7, lakon type-6, adder, dropship
Tau Ceti,Gilmour Orbiter; lakon type-6, lakon type-9
LHS 3885,Alvarado Ring; asp, orca, python, lakon type-9, lakon type-6
Wolf 896,Fraser Enterprise; dropship, asp, adder, lakon type-6, lakon type-7, lakon type-9
Toolfa,Crook Hub; lakon type-9, python, asp, orca
Groombridge 1618,Gernsback Terminal; dropship, lakon type-9, lakon type-6, asp, lakon type-7
Il Aquarii,Patsayev Station; dropship, lakon type-7, lakon type-9, lakon type-6, python
Parjanya,Volterra Enterprise; lakon type-6, adder, python, asp, orca
TZ Arietis,Snyder Enterprise; everything ;)
Sol, Columbus; FSD class 4 rating A
Tan'Gunni, Low dock; all kinds of goodies ;)
Zarya Manas,Antonio De Andrade Hub; thrusters class 4 rating A, power distributor class 3 rating A, adv.disc.scan
HIP 108282,Bass Installation; FSD class 4 rating C
Brultamaci,Cox Dock; FSD class 4 rating C
Shampang,Thompson Landing; FSD class 4 rating C
HIP 105202,Turzillo Station; power plant class 4 rating A, FSD class 4 rating A, adv.disc.scan
Giryampi,Cottenot Terminal; FSD class 4 rating A, adv.disc.scan
Belarsuk,Kurtland Hub; FSD class 4 rating A, adv.disc.scan
Toxandji,Tsunenaga Orbital; power distributor class 4 rating A, adv.disc.scan
Groombridge 1618,Gernsback Terminal; powerplant class 6 rating B, FSD class 6 rating A, adv.disc.scan
Parjanya,Volterra Enterprise; powerplant class 6 rating B, power distributor class 6 rating A, FSD class 6 rating A, adv.disc.scan
Lakon Type-9;
power plant class 6 rating C: 1.7 million, rating A: 16.1 million
thrusters class 7 rating A: 51.2 million, class 7 rating B: 17 million, class 7 rating C: 5.6 million
Python;
power plant class 7 rating B: 17 million, rating A: 51.2 million
thrusters class 6 rating A: 16.1 million
Unfonfirmed reports say Q1 Eridani sells lot of outfitting modules...
Sidewinder 10
Eagle 14
Hauler 22
Viper 22
Cobra 60
Orca 96
Lakon Type-6 112
Asp 128
Federal Dropship 164
Imperial Clipper 248
Python 292
Anaconda 468
Lakon Type-9 532
Path to better ship:
1) do missions until buy hauler (do not sell sidewinder, its free after all)
2) hauler -> cobra (42t cargo stripped): difficult if do trading with such small cargo capacity, tedious grind :(
3) buy lakon type-6 (50t default, 112t cargo) and sell cobra to save money
4) buy asp (128t cargo) and sell lakon type-6 to save money <- or maybe not, check cargo capacities first
5) buy lakon type-9 and sell lakon type-6 to save money
6) upgrade lakon type-9 to the max cargo carrying setup
7) after 4.7 million credits (full gold cargo load), you can start to purchase other ships or anything you want! yeah!
Viper 128,638
Cobra 341,747
Sidewinder 28,800
Eagle 40,320
ASP 5,995,038
ORCA 43,685,899
Python 51,280,362
Hauler 47,448
Vulture 4,433,054
Lakon Type-6 941,351
Lakon Type-7 15,725,027
Lakon Type-9 68,900,258
Adder 79,028
Fer-De-Lance 46,410,336
Anaconda 132,272,506
Imperial Clipper 20,066,274
Federal Dropship 17,832,785
Python:
Beam laser gimballed, Class 3, rating C, 2.1 million
Beam laser turreted, Class 3, rating D, 17.4 million
Multicannon fixed, Class 2, rating E, 34,200
Multicannon gimballed, Class 2, rating F, 51,300
Multicannon turreted, Class 1, rating G, 73,440
Thrusters, Class 6, rating A, 14,5 million
Thrusters, Class 6, rating D, 539,318
Power plant, Class 7, rating A, 46.1 million
Power Plant, Class 7, rating D, 1.7 million
Power Plant, Class 6, rating D, 539,318
Life support, Class 4, rating D, 25,536
Sensors, Class 6, rating D, 200,200
Fuel scoop, Class 6, rating A, 25.8 million
Fuel scoop, Class 6, rating D, 404,488
Fuel scoop, Class 5, rating A, 8.1 million
Fuel scoop, Class 4, rating A, 2.5 million
Shield cell bank, Class 6, rating A, 3.1 million
Shield cell bank, Class 5, rating A, 1.1 million
Shield cell bank, Class 4, rating A, 398,996
Shield generator, Class 6, rating A, 14.5 million
Shield generator, Class 5, rating A, 4.5 million
Shield generator, Class 4, rating A, 1.4 million
Lakon Type-9:
Cannon turreted, Class 2, rating E, 3.6 million
Multicannon turreted, Class 2, rating F, 1.1 million